Everyone Welcome? Personal Narratives about Race and Food Co-ops

We believe that now is a critical time to engage our cooperative community in important conversations about racism and oppression. Everyone Welcome? Personal Narratives about Race and Food Co-ops presents a variety of perspectives on what can be done to make food co-ops more racially inclusive. Fifteen co-operators from a variety of backgrounds — class, gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation — talk about their introduction to co-ops and respond to two questions: how did food co-ops become so white and what can be done to make food co-ops more racially inclusive? We think storytelling is an excellent medium for exploring these themes, and we invite you to use these narratives as a springboard for your own discussions about racial issues affecting your co-op and your community.

Transforming institutions takes everyone’s participation. Certainly one conversation, or even one project will not undo racism in our society, yet each one successively builds on the other to deepen understanding and support change. Our hope is that this project will support food co-ops that are willing to take leadership on a problem that affects not only food co-ops, but also society as a whole.

About CDS Consulting Co-op

CDS Consulting Co-op is a cooperative of consultants working together to support our clients' success in meeting their goals. We help clients develop the insight, skills and resources they need to make a positive impact in their communities as successful businesses and meaningful cooperatives.